Undercover Again
by RBCrazyFan
Summary: Sam has to leave and Andy's not happy but do they have a choice? FINISHED! Epilogue added!
1. News

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

* * *

Andy woke when the baby started crying. She stayed in bed. At night, Sam usually got up and brought Ellie back to her, saying she was overtaxing herself. As Ellie continued to cry, Andy turned over and her heart dropped. Sam's side of the bed was still made. _He should have been home over an hour ago_ she thought despairingly as she climbed out of bed. _Every time an officer comes home late it means something bad has happened_. She reached the nursery and took her daughter out of the cradle. As she rocked her daughter gently, she thought of where Sam could possibly be. Maybe Ellie felt her worry, for she began to howl louder.

As Andy continued to rock her, she heard the door open and a voice call "Andy?" He must have heard Ellie crying because she heard him running up the stairs. He came into the nursery and smiled to see his girls. He took Ellie from Andy as he said "sorry I'm late. Boyko needed to speak to me." He glanced down at his daughter; her cries had ceased. "You just wanted your daddy to come home, didn't you?" He moved her so he was holding her in one hand and then pulled Andy close and kissed her gently. "I'm sorry sweetheart. Go back to bed, I'll change Ellie and then bring her in for you to feed her."

He watched his wife walk out and then set his daughter on the changing table. He took a few deep breaths, he was about to have a conversation with his wife that he did not want to have.

He finished changing Ellie and brought her into their bedroom. Andy took her and began feeding her. "Go shower and change. When you finish, you owe me an explanation Sam."

"I know." He kissed her. "I'm sorry."

* * *

When Sam slid into bed, Andy was burping Ellie. He kissed Andy lightly, taking Ellie from her. "Halfway burping or you're done?"

"Halfway." Ellie burped and Andy took her back to finish feeding her. "You still owe me an explanation."

"I know and I'm sorry. After shift I was about to leave when Boyko told me he wanted to speak to me. I told him that I was heading to the Penny for a quick drink and then was going home, could it wait for tomorrow. He said no and it turned out he was waiting for someone else to come so the two of them could speak to me together."

Andy looked up, startled. "Who was this other person?"

Sam looked at her. "Let me tell the story."

"Sorry."

"The other person finally arrived, and then I realized I should have called you to let you know I would be home late but by then they had already started talking." He took a deep breath. "Andy, sweetheart, I, I tried to argue but they wouldn't take no for an answer."

Andy looked at her husband. "Sam, you're scaring me. Just spit it out."

He sighed. "I'm going undercover."

"WHAT? Sam, Ellie's only a month old."

"I know Andy. That was part of my argument." He moved closer to her and stroked her hair gently. "They told me that they actually wanted me to go undercover two months ago but Boyko said no because of you."

"Sam, I can't do this without you."

He looked at her. "You can, I have faith in you." She finished feeding Ellie and Sam took the baby. Andy leaned into him. He kissed her forehead as he burped their daughter.

After a few minutes, she looked up at him. "How can you go undercover again? Doesn't everyone on the street know you're a cop?"

"It's in a different district. Boyko told me that I'm one of the best undercover cops and your argument that it is a compliment that you arrested me is true. He also said that it was totally not your fault, Shaw should have stayed with you and Barber should not have reacted when he saw me cuffed."

"So they're sending you out again." He nodded. She didn't like it but she understood the logic. "For how long?"

"As long as it takes. Hopefully nowhere near as long as it took me with Anton Hill. I don't want to be away from you for that long."

"When do you start?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Sam, that's too soon."

"They want me to be gone before too many people know about it. That's not the worst part though."

"What's the worst part?"

"They said if I contact you at all I might put you and Ellie in danger."

"How will I know if you are safe? Sam, I can't do this if I don't know you are safe."

He reassured her that he would find a way to let her know he was safe while thinking about how many of the undercover officers ended up getting hurt, sometimes killed, on the job. He would never tell her that, and besides, on his last night with her for who knows how long he wanted it to be full of promise, not gloom. Then he realized that they both needed a minute so he got up to put Ellie back in her cradle.

When Sam returned, he saw Andy lying face down, shaking with silent tears. He crawled in next to her and pulled her close. He held her until she cried herself to sleep; rubbing her back in what he hoped was a soothing manner.

TBC…


	2. Saying Goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

….

Sam woke up with a groan. He had barely slept. Andy had eventually cried herself to sleep and he sat up thinking until Ellie began to cry for her second nightly feeding. After that, he and Andy had stayed up talking for a few hours and then he had fallen into a troubled sleep with her hands gently massaging his back.

He turned over and swore. He had known as soon as he woke up that Andy was not in bed but he knew his alarm was set for over an hour ago. He couldn't understand why Andy would turn off his alarm but he was about to find out.

He made his way to the nursery and found Andy changing Ellie while talking to her. She looked up when he walked in, lifting their daughter. "Say good morning to your daddy sweetie."

Sam looked at her. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Come on Andy. I needed to be up over an hour ago."

Andy smiled. "You turned off your cell phone last night."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Boyko called the house phone since he couldn't reach you on your cell. When I told him you were asleep, he asked if you got any sleep. I told him maybe an hour, which was true at the time and he told me to let you sleep. He doesn't want you coming in today because it will just raise questions so he is going to swing by and drop you off at your mysterious location later."

"When later?"

"He said he would call and give half hour notice." While they were talking, Andy led him back into the bedroom. She sat on the bed. "Sam, I'm sorry. I don't want you to get hurt on your first day because of exhaustion."

He sat down next to her. "It's okay." He glanced down at their daughter. "Isn't it time to feed her again?" _It seems like all she does is eat and sleep._

Andy handed Ellie to Sam. She got up and went into the nursery. She returned holding a baby bottle and gave it to Sam.

"Andy? What is this? I thought you didn't want her on a bottle."

"I know. But the doctor said that bonding time happens while feeding a baby and I want you to have this experience before you go. Remember to burp her halfway through." She kissed his forehead and left.

Sam stared after her for a second and then began feeding his daughter. When he finished, he went looking for Andy. He found her in the kitchen, making breakfast. "Thank you Andy."

"Just make sure you come home to do that again before she is too old." He grinned and handed Ellie to her. He slid into one of the seats by the table and she sat next to him while he ate. He knew better than to question her, she had probably eaten earlier.

As he finished washing the dishes, his cell phone went off. "Swarek." He listened for a minute as he watched Andy slip out of the room and then said "okay" and hung up. Andy returned to the kitchen and he met her eyes. "Boyko will be here in forty-five minutes." He moved to where she stood in the middle of the kitchen. "It will be okay."

She rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her, thankful that she had put Ellie down. Right now he just wanted to hold her close.

"Are you scared?" she asked in a whisper.

He sighed. _If anyone else asked me this question!_ "A little."

They stood silently for a few minutes and then Sam moved his hand to tilt her chin and kiss her. She reacted, knowing that in a short while she would not be able to kiss him.

When they stopped for breath she looked up. "I love you Sam."

"You know I love you."

She smiled. "If Boyko's gonna be here soon, maybe you should get dressed, unless you want to go in your pjs."

He let go of her reluctantly and went to the bedroom to change and throw a few items into a small bag.

When he descended, Andy was on the sofa, holding a bag in her lap. "I got you a present."

He cringed. Boyko would probably nix whatever she got but he had to play along for her sake. "When did you have time?"

"Our daughter is like clockwork, needs to be fed every three hours. So, I fed her, moved the baby monitor next to you, went shopping, and came back."

"Oh." He sat down next to her and she handed him the bag. He opened it and found a book on tape. "Moby Dick?"

"The longest one I could find."

He grinned, remembering his first day back in uniform. She had asked him the same question and that was the answer. "At least Boyko can't nix this gift."

"That was the idea" she answered and then leaned in to kiss him…

All too soon for Andy the forty minute marker rose. Sam looked at his watch. "Wait here."

Andy stayed on the sofa as Sam made his way to the nursery to say his goodbyes to his daughter. "Be good for your mommy sweetie. I love you so much." He kissed her forehead and then stroked her cheek for a few moments before returning to Andy.

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Sam."

He held his arms out and she ran into them. "Sh, Andy, it will be okay. I will be back as soon as I can."

The kiss that followed conveyed the feeling of love and fear that they each had.

The blaring of the car horn broke their kiss. "That's Boyko. I can't keep him waiting." He kissed her forehead and then walked to the front hallway, opening the front door and waving to Boyko. He was about to grab his bag when a hand reached out to grab it. He found himself looking into Andy's eyes. "Come home safely" she whispered and kissed him again. She broke the kiss and pushed him out the door. "Remember we both love you" she said, speaking for herself and her daughter.

Sam nodded and left; his heart heavy.

Andy watched him go down the stairs and get into Boyko's car. She stood by the front door until Boyko's car was out of sight before closing the door and closing out the world.

* * *

_A.N.: So… I have an ending in mind for the story when Sam returns but I wanna know if people want me to write about their lives apart. Let me know…_


	3. On My Own

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

….

Sam's POV:

I threw my bag into Boyko's car and then got in on the passenger side. Neither of us spoke for the first few blocks.

Eventually Boyko broke the silent, handing me an envelope. "They do things differently Sam. Here's a key and inside the envelope is the address."

"You serious? I don't pick out my own place?"

Boyko sighed. "This is off the record. If I were you, I would go to this place because that is where they put all the props to start you off. I would clear it out and find another place. That way, if there is ever an emergency, you have a place to hide."

I nodded. It made sense. "Do they really think no one will suspect anything?"

"Its how they've worked for years. We do things differently. Here" Boyko handed Sam a second envelope.

Sam looked at it, knowing what was inside. "Where is this money from?"

"Our department so you can do things our way." He glanced at Sam. "Sam, I'm sorry about this. Months ago they asked all divisions to submit their best undercover officer who was not currently out. I didn't realize that they were still using that list."

"Its not your fault."

"I want you to know I argued. I told them it wasn't fair to you or your family but they told me to stop or I was going to get fired."

Sam nodded.

Boyko stopped the car. "Here's where I'm supposed to let you off."

Sam looked at him. "Can you do me a favor?"

"I will try."

"I'm assuming that when you go back you'll be letting everyone else know that I'm going back undercover?"

Boyko nodded.

"Can you send Nash to check on Andy?"

"Will do."

Sam opened the car door and got out. He grabbed his bag from the back seat and as he closed the door he said "thank you sir."

Sam then slipped into the shadows to watch Boyko leave. When Boyko was gone, he schooled his expression to the one he had worn for eight months, the one where he looked like he was a drug addict, before opening the envelope to head to his "new" home.

.

.

Andy's POV:

I watched until Boyko's car was out of sight before closing the door. I slid to the floor against the doorframe as I burst into tears. I don't know how long I cried but a different cry pierced my heart. I realized that it was my daughter, the product of the love Sam and I share. I wiped my tears on my shirt and slowly made my way up the stairs to get her.

After changing her diaper, I headed downstairs. As much as I was not hungry, I knew I had to eat for Ellie's sake. I opened the refrigerator and began to laugh. I don't know when he did it but Sam must have known what state I would be in because he left me two sandwiches on a plate. On top of the sandwiches was a note that said "I love both of you."

I ate the sandwiches and then headed to the sofa to feed Ellie. When she was done eating, I held her close as she looked at me. I began to talk to her, in a soothing voice, telling her about her father and how much he loved her. This was the hour that I used to love, the hour that Ellie was awake and I could play with her. Today, I just wanted her to sleep because I was exhausted.

Eventually Ellie drifted back to sleep. I held her close and leaned back, shutting my eyes.

I woke suddenly when someone pounded on my door. I was not in the mood for company so I ignored it. The person was persistent and eventually I heard a key scrape the lock. I groaned. Only my dad, Sam's parents, and Jerry had the key to our house. I knew it was neither my dad nor Sam's parents and I was not in the mood of talking to Jerry.

The lock clicked and the door opened. It was Traci. She left the key on the table by the door, closing it softly behind her before coming to me. She sat down next to me. "How are you holding up?" she asked softly.

I looked at her. I had no more tears left. "I don't know how I am supposed to get through the next few months Trace" I whispered.

"We're all here for you Andy" she murmured, pulling me close. "I'll stay for as long as you need me."

The practical side of me jumped on that fact. "What about Leo?"

"Jerry will get him from school and so help them if they give him a hard time."

I giggled and then Traci started laughing. Before I knew it, the two of us were laughing so hard that we woke Ellie.

_It will be nice to forget for a little while that Sam is not coming home tonight_, I thought as we headed to the nursery to take care of my baby.

* * *

A.N.: I still haven't decided what to do yet…I might skip and then do one-shots with the in-between months. The good news is that the last few chapters (when Sam returns) are almost done!

Thanks for all the reviews: you guys rock!


	4. A Chance Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

….

ANDY:

Andy woke and stretched. It had been a little over a month and a half since Sam had left. She found that during the day she could lose herself in daily tasks and forget that he would not be coming home. Nighttime was a different story. After the first night of not sleeping, she moved into the nursery, silently thanking Sam's suggestion to put a bed in the nursery in case the baby ever got sick. Since Sam had left she had slept in their bedroom twice, both times crying herself to sleep while hugging his pillow.

Andy tiptoed out of the room. The biggest change since Sam left was that Ellie now slept for almost twelve hours straight every night. That meant she could get up in the morning, refreshed, and shower before her daughter woke and demanded to be fed.

When Andy finished her shower, she dressed for the day. Today she was going to visit Marie D'Abramo. Since that fateful day when Benny had died, Andy had gotten to know Marie. Marie became like a mother to Andy. She was the first one Andy had called when Ellie was born (and then she had passed the phone to Sam and let him make the rest of the calls). After Ellie's birth, Andy tried to visit Marie at least once every two weeks. The only piece of information she withheld from Marie was that Sam was undercover.

As if thinking about her caused it, the phone rang and it was Marie. "Andy, dear, I was wondering if you would be able to do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Today, when you come to visit, would you mind taking me to visit a friend? She broke her leg a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to visit her. I thought maybe if you came along with Ellie it would cheer her up."

Andy gave her consent and hung up as she heard Ellie stirring in the nursery.

….

"I didn't realize you had friends this far out" Andy said as she drove. They had been driving for over twenty minutes.

"I'm sorry dear. If it's too much…" Marie trailed off as Andy shook her head.

"It's no big deal. This neighborhood though…"

"I used to live here. I left, not that my neighborhood is much better now. Here's the house."

Andy pulled into a parking spot and froze. On the corner of the street was a man lying against a tree. He looked like he was sleeping but she knew better. _Sam!_ She couldn't do anything, couldn't say anything, though she wanted to.

"Andy? Are you okay?"

She snapped out of her reverie and looked at Marie. "Fine, sorry, I…"

"Don't worry dear, happens to the best of us."

The two stepped out of the car. Andy opened the back door and gently lifted her daughter from her car-seat. She deliberately took her daughter's hand and waved it a little as she closed the door.

A young woman (Marie's friend's granddaughter) walked out of the house to greet them and took Ellie so Andy could use her remote to lock the car. She followed the woman and Marie up the stairs. Before she entered the house, she paused and then turned around. As her fingers tapped her lips, she appeared to be scanning the area. She looked at Sam for a long, pointed moment and then hit the button to lock the car again. Then she slipped into the house.

.

.

SAM:

The day started off like any other. Today he would be selling drugs. He got to the meeting point and then flopped against a tree, pretending to sleep. He had been in position for maybe half an hour before a car drove up. His heart began beating fast as he moved in his feigned sleep to have two of his fingers touch his lips. If Andy noticed him, she would see the sign and know "I love you but don't try anything stupid".

He was not sure Andy noticed him until she lifted Ellie out of the car. To a casual observer, Andy was trying to move her daughter into a more comfortable position but he saw the wave of his daughter's hand.

Someone came out of the house, spoke to Andy and Marie and then took Ellie from Andy. As the woman led them into the house, he heard the beep of the car locking and noticed that Andy was lagging behind the other two. She stayed outside when the other two went inside and scanned the area, eyes eventually locking on Sam's location. He saw that her fingers were tapping her lips and knew that she understood his message. She deliberately hit the button to lock the car a second time and then disappeared inside.

As soon as she went inside his mind started racing. This neighborhood was not safe and he wanted her out as soon as possible. He also wanted to somehow get a message to her to stay out of the area. Unfortunately, he could not think of a plan because his buyer tapped his shoulder.

The two men hid in the shadows of the trees as Sam handed over the drugs and the man handed him money. Before Sam could leave, the man spoke. "What do you think of the car that lady was driving?"

Sam internally groaned. "It's nice but she probably has an alarm on it."

"What makes you think so?"

"Did'ja see the way she looked around and at me? I think she's a cop."

"No. I think that car is a great steal."

An idea formed in Sam's mind. "Know what? You're right. Even if she has an alarm, I learned a trick. Many car trucks aren't connected to the alarm. I can climb through the trunk."

The other man nodded and motioned for Sam to go.

Sam made his way to Andy's car, internally laughing. Andy's trunk was rigged but there was a catch. The first two inches that the truck was lifted could not set off the alarm. Sam made sure the money that he had just received was accessible as he approached the car. He unlocked the truck and felt around. When nothing happened, the other man nodded and Sam threw the trunk open, dropping the money inside. As the alarm began ringing, he noticed a pack of beer that he must have left in the trunk and grabbed it before slamming the trunk and taking off down the road.

.

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ANDY:

I jumped when the car alarm started going off and ran to the door as Sam slammed the trunk and ran off with the pack of beer. I quickly turned the alarm off and went to the car. I opened the trunk and saw a packet of money in the trunk, explaining why he took the time to close the trunk. I leaned against the car. _Why would he trip the alarm purposely? I know he was probably meeting with someone and that person could have wanted to steal the car but there are better ways to convince someone not to steal a car. __**UNLESS**__ it was a warning for me. What would he be warning me about?_ She looked around again and realized that this neighborhood made her feel unsafe. Maybe that was his warning: GET OUT NOW.

Andy headed back into the house. "Marie? Do you mind if I leave? Someone just tried to steal my car and I'm not so comfortable staying."

The granddaughter cut in. "I'll be glad to take you home."

Andy kissed Marie and took her daughter to the car.

….

As soon as she got home, Andy turned on the computer and ran a search. She printed the results and then fed her daughter before getting back into the car.

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews! They are the reason I keep plunging on with this story.


	5. Making a Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

….

The third stop on her list was a quiet place. She placed her sleeping daughter into the baby carriage and walked down a short path to a doorway and rang the bell. A woman came out to greet her.

The two women talked for about half an hour. At the end, Andy was satisfied that Rachel would be a great day care provider for her daughter. It definitely helped that Rachel's father was a retired police officer and she was willing to work out a plan in case of an emergency at the police station if Andy couldn't leave. Rachel had not asked any questions about Sam, other than what his job was. She seemed to know that there was more to the story but Andy was grateful that she did not ask.

As they finished the meeting, Rachel handed Andy a folder with papers to sign. Andy signed the papers and said a cheerful goodbye.

* * *

The next day, Andy left her daughter with someone other than her husband for the first time. She was a little nervous but she knew what she had to do.

She drove to the police station and pulled into Sam's spot. She locked the car and headed to Boyko's office. Boyko was surprised to see her but motioned for her to come in and sit down.

"McNally (she and Sam had decided at the station she would keep her maiden name to avoid confusion) what can I do for you?"

"Sir, I want to come back."

Boyko looked at her. "It says on your file that you wanted to take a year off after your child was born."

She met his eye. "That was before Sam left."

He stared at her face intently for a few moments before softly asking "what happened?"

"I saw Sam yesterday. I was taking a friend who doesn't drive to see her friend in another neighborhood and there he was, on the corner." She knew that her sentence would probably confuse him but she had to just get it out.

It took him a minute. "So, you saw Sam and decided you want to come back?"

She nodded. "I realized when I saw him that a part of me is missing. I need something to fill the hole."

He looked at her. "McNally, you do realize that you have a child now?"

"Yes."

"What would you do if I mostly gave you desk work?"

"It is better than sitting at home twiddling my thumbs, sir."

"Fine. Half days and mostly desk work."

"Two full, three half and no weekends" she countered.

"Deal. When can you start?"

"Ellie is in a daycare center so whenever."

He nodded and led her out to find Detective Barber to see if he had anything for her to do.

* * *

Andy settled into routine quickly. She found that even at work, she constantly thought of Sam. At least while she was working she felt useful. At home, she dragged her feet. She tried to make the home the best atmosphere for her daughter but on the days where she only worked half the day, she moped in the house alone. Even with all her friends, she had never felt so alone before, never felt as if she were missing a part of herself.

* * *

A.N.: I have 20 reviews! Thank you to all of my reviewers, you made my day!


	6. Homecoming

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

A.N. Sorry this took so long. I debated about doing more of the two of them alone but I am still drawing a blank so I decided to…

* * *

Nearly five long months had dragged on for Sam but he finally caught the guy the department had been targeting and he was going home. He didn't stop to shave, shower, or even change his clothing; he wanted to see his family.

It was early afternoon when he arrived. _Home sweet home_ he thought, noting that Andy's car was parked in front of the house. He slipped inside and noticed that the house was dark. He glanced outside and saw a figure on the swings near the back of their property. He strode towards the swings, stopping a few feet away, knowing she heard his footsteps. He was surprised that she didn't turn around.

"I'm not moping so you can go away." _Oh, so she thought he was a caring friend trying to pull her out of WHAT? The fact that he was gone?_

"You are moping. But that'll stop" he said, moving closer to her "and I'm not going away." He watched her freeze for a second when he started talking and then jump off the swing, turning as she did.

She met his eye. "Sam" she pulled him close and kissed him, tears running down her cheeks. When they had to stop for breath she said "I missed you. They didn't tell me you were coming home today."

"I missed you too. I finally brought the guy in today. They wanted to debrief but I told them they would have to do it without me or wait until tomorrow since today is my daughter's half birthday." He kissed her again.

"Is that legal?"

"Technically, I should not have had to go undercover and they know I have proof that they were wrong. Andy," he kissed her again "where's Ellie?"

Sam didn't miss her posture stiffening. "She's alright?" he asked worriedly. _If anything happened to her while I was gone…_ He didn't have a chance to finish the thought.

"She's in a daycare center. I need to go get her soon."

"Andy, I thought we agreed for the first year you were going to stay at home. Hopefully before she is a year I will get transferred to guns and gangs."

She glared at him as she pulled away. "Then you left. I couldn't sit around and do nothing. I think Boyko understood because he let me come back and man the desk."

He pulled her back to him and kissed her again. "I'm sorry Andy."

She rested her head on his shoulder for a minute before answering. "It's not your fault." She glanced at her watch. "Sam, I have to go get Ellie. You need to clean yourself up. I'll be home soon." She kissed him again and then pulled her car keys out of her pocket.

"Drive safely."

"Always do. Maybe tonight we'll go to the Penny and shock everyone."

Sam smiled and opened the car door for her. "See you in a bit."

.

* * *

Sam was waiting for her on the front steps. As soon as she stepped out of the car, his hands closed around her and he kissed her. He noticed that her mood had done a 180. Before she seemed stressed and now she was relaxed. She smiled up at him and then motioned her head to the backseat. Sam let go of her and opened the door. He struggled for a few seconds with the car-seat straps but managed to unbuckle his daughter.

Andy watched carefully. She motioned for Sam to bring their daughter into the house and then took the baby-seat out of the car.

Sam waited for her just inside the door. "You know I could have taken that."

"I know. I normally bring her in while she's still in the seat but you haven't seen her in five months." Sam followed her into the kitchen. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Whatever you are making sounds fine."

She groaned. "Sam!"

"Really Andy, whatever you make is always amazing and especially now after living in a hovel for five months."

Andy began searching for ingredients as Sam took their daughter outside to the porch. Andy ignored them; knowing Sam needed some time alone with their daughter. Five months make a huge difference for a baby and she was not going to ruin bonding time. She loved her daughter and had bonding time with her, but Sam had not. Besides, Sam was going to get a nice surprise tonight from his daughter.

Ten minutes later, she placed a casserole in the oven. She cut up vegetables and threw together a salad. _There_ she thought. She went to the hallway and brought the car-seat into the kitchen. Then she went outside to find Sam.

"Looks like she remembers you."

"Yeah. You done?"

"Almost. Come inside." He stood and she took Ellie from him, kissing him in the process. She was so happy he was home that she kept checking to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

In the kitchen, she strapped Ellie into her seat and placed a burp diaper near her daughter's chin. Then she handed Sam a video recorder.

Sam took the recorder, puzzlement in his eyes. "What's this for?"

"Video diary of our daughter's firsts. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it tonight but your home."

"You mean…"

"There's plenty for you to watch. I didn't want you to miss anything and I want to be able to look back at this one day."

"Thanks sweetheart. So, what are we doing tonight?"

"First time eating solid food."

"In the car-seat?"

"She can't exactly sit in a chair yet, can she?"

"Well I guess we need to go shopping tomorrow."

"Just turn on the recorder Sam."

.

* * *

A.N. Next up: How the rest of the 15th division finds out Sam has returned!

Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are appreciated!


	7. The Black Penny

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

A.N. Thank you to all of my reviewers!

* * *

….

Later on in the evening, Andy looked at the clock and motioned to Sam. Their friends were just getting off shift now and if they wanted to go to the Penny, she wanted to get going. She strapped Ellie into the car-seat and Sam brought it out to the car. Sam got behind the wheel of Andy's car. A week before he had gone undercover they had sold his truck so that they could buy a mini-van. They had not gotten around to buying since he had left. _Another task to add to the to-do list_ he thought.

Andy put her hand on his arm. "You okay? Do you want me to drive?"

He smiled at her. "No. I was just thinking that we really need to go car shopping."

Andy grinned. "I like that idea. She turned to look at her daughter who had finally fallen asleep in the backseat. "It will make my back so much happier."

Sam glanced at her. "Problems?"

"No, just bending down. It was really bad when she was two months old but it's gotten much better."

"I'm sorry; I wish I would have been here to help."

"Sam, its fine. I'm happy you're home safe."

She was saved from saying anything else as Sam pulled into a parking spot by the Black Penny. "This is going to be fun."

Andy leaned over to kiss him. "I have an idea…"

* * *

Andy walked into the Black Penny and quickly spotted Traci. She was at the front of the bar, holding Jerry's hand under the table while he talked with Oliver Shaw.

Andy made her way over to the three of them. Traci's eyes gave her the one over as she moved closer. As soon as she was close enough, Traci grabbed her hand. "I thought you weren't coming. Did you get a babysitter tonight?"

Andy gave her a quizzical look. "Why would I need a babysitter?"

Traci looked shocked. "In case you don't remember, you have a beautiful six month old daughter."

Andy smiled. "She is beautiful, isn't she?"

"So, if you don't have a babysitter, where is Ellie?"

Andy glanced at the door as it opened. _Perfect timing_ she thought. "Right over" she paused, as if looking around, "there."

Traci followed her finger and her jaw dropped open. She tugged Jerry's hand. He looked at her, concerned. "What's wrong?" He followed her gaze and laughed, dropping her hand. "Sammy" he called, making his way through the Penny "good to have you back". He reached Sam and gave him a one armed hug, mindful of the sleeping baby in Sam's arms.

Traci hugged Andy. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Trace." Andy pulled away from Traci and went to Sam to rescue her daughter so Sam could interact with the other officers.

A few minutes later Sam found her and sat down next to her. There was a beer and a bottle of water in front of her. She asked him for the car keys and then handed him the beer.

"You're not drinking?"

"Sam, we have a daughter who is six months old. Until I stop nursing her I won't drink."

"Right" he would have said more but someone came up on his other side to talk to him. He reached for Andy's hand and then turned his full attention to the person.

Andy turned back to Traci. After a few minutes, Traci looked at Andy. "You know that her eyes just opened."

Andy sighed. "Thanks Trace. Excuse me." She pulled her hand away from Sam, he was deep in conversation and she didn't want to interrupt him, and headed outside. Once outside, she paced, crooning softly.

"She's still awake" a voice said a minute later, startling her. Sam moved from the shadows to pull her close and kiss her. "Let me try."

"Sam, go back inside. You haven't seen these people in months."

"Andy," he lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes "I'd rather spend time with my girls." She saw the sincerity in his eyes and didn't resist as he took Ellie. He rocked their daughter gently until she fell asleep on his chest as Andy watched with a feeling of sadness that Sam had missed so many of these kinds of moments. She wished she had her camera.

When Ellie was asleep, he turned to look at Andy. "Do you want to stay or go home?"

Andy bit her lip. On the one hand she wanted Sam to be able to see everyone and talk to everyone. On the other hand, she knew that if they got Ellie into the cradle she would sleep for the rest of the night. "Your call. Either way is fine."

Sam smiled and handed Ellie to her. "I'll be back in a minute. Let me just go say goodbye."

Andy watched his retreating back. When he was inside and the door had closed, she unlocked the car and gently strapped her daughter in before opening the driver's side door and turning the car on.

Sam returned a minute later. "You know, I didn't drink that much" he said as he opened the driver's side door.

Andy smiled sweetly at him. "I'm still driving. Are you getting in or walking home?"

Sam slammed her door and went around to the other side. He got into the car and kissed her soundly before motioning for her to take them home.

.

* * *

A.N. Next up: Andy has one last homecoming surprise for Sam.


	8. Last Surprise

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

A.N. Thank you to all of my reviewers!

**The Sneezing Panda**: You know, I was so into the story that I didn't even think about it but I will justify it: a)It's a bar for cops so I don't foresee anything really bad happening in there and b)Sam wouldn't want to leave her, even if she was sleeping. As soon as she woke up, Andy took her out.

* * *

….

Andy pulled the car into the driveway and turned the key. She was savoring every moment she had with Sam. He kissed her nose gently and then quickly got out of the car. Although Ellie's car-seat was behind her seat, he beat her to the door. When she tried to protest, and he muttered "your back".

Andy laughed and moved to let Sam struggle to detach the car seat from the stand in the car. "That was when she was two months. Do you honestly think I would have been allowed back into the 15th if I was not in top condition?" She let him struggle for another minute and then bent down to show him how to take the car-seat out.

Sam carried the car-seat holding his daughter into the house. Andy motioned for him to set it down on the kitchen counter. Then she turned to him. "I set up the DVD for you in our bedroom while you were playing with Ellie after dinner. I'm just going to put her down for the night."

Sam watched as Andy slowly unbuckled their daughter and pulled Ellie into her arms, crooning softly the whole time. She looked at him and smiled and they made their way up the stairs. Andy went into the nursery and Sam continued down the hallway to their bedroom.

The first thing that hit him was that the bed looked as though no one had slept in it for a while. He realized that the bed in the nursery looked slept in (a fact that he had dismissed when he had gone into the nursery to change Ellie) and Andy had probably been sleeping in there. He threw off his shirt and changed into shorts before grabbing the remote and climbing into bed.

The first scene on the video was Ellie rolling over. Andy's commentary of "come on Ellie, do it for Daddy" made him smile.

The bedroom door opened and Andy looked at the screen. "I remember that one. She would roll over but every time I would turn on recorder she would stop. I must have rerecorded over that film twenty times. Finally I told her to do it for you and she listened." She smiled softly.

Sam got out of bed, using the remote to turn off the television. "Andy" he pulled her close…

* * *

(A.N. I'll let you imagine this scene for yourself)

* * *

Hours later Andy lay with her head on Sam's chest. Sam stroked her hair as she glanced at the clock and groaned.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"The alarm clock is going to go off at seven."

"So turn it off."

"When you find her off switch in the morning, let me know."

Sam grinned. "Oh, Ellie."

"Yeah, although… she normally goes to sleep earlier and doesn't wake up so maybe we will get lucky."

"Maybe. It's still going to be a long day tomorrow. I have to stop by 15th and get my uniform before going to debrief. Maybe you'll come with me and it will be McNally and Swarek again."

Andy sat up suddenly. "Oh, I forgot to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Did you speak to Boyko?"

"I left him a message when we got to the Penny and you went in. Why? Andy, what did you forget to tell me?" He kept his voice steady but inside he was panicking: _what did she forget?_

She looked at him, eyes full of love. "My nametag changed" she smirked.

Sam blinked at her. It was late and he had not slept well in a while. _Her nametag? That was not supposed to change until he transferred to Guns and Gangs._ "Why?" he asked finally.

"There's an opening at guns and gangs."

"Andy," he pulled her close "they don't hold openings".

She leaned into his chest. "Boyko knew the guy. He somehow convinced the guy's wife to call me and, I guess that what I said convinced her. She was the one pushing for him to retire and they made a joint decision that he would retire when you finished your undercover stint."

Sam smiled. "Just like you wanted. My job will be easier to work around Ellie's schedule."

"I know." She kissed him again and he responded.

When they broke apart he looked at her. "So, will you come with me tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Go to sleep sweetheart." He stroked her hair until she fell asleep. As he felt her drift off, he realized that this was probably going to be the first time in months that she slept soundly.

He fell asleep a few minutes later, dreaming of the scene that would play out tomorrow – no, later that day:

_They would not have an issue with Andy being there, especially if she were in uniform. But…_

"_Officer Swarek, why do you have a child with you?"_

"_You kept me away from my daughter for five months. I have a lot of time to make up so if you don't want her here, we can leave."_

_They would let her stay and he would make it as quick as possible. Then he would go with Andy and drop Ellie off at daycare. He wanted to meet the woman who was taking care of his daughter every day. Then he and Andy would head to the 15__th__ division to clear out his locker so he could take the spot at Guns and Gangs…_

_

* * *

_

At seven thirty Sam woke to the beautiful sound that he had missed for so long, his daughter crying for attention.

* * *

The end.

Hope you enjoyed! I might be posting two alternate endings to this story. They were two ideas that I played with while thinking about how to end this story and if I finish them, I'll post 'em.

Catch you on the flip side!

Thanks again for all the reviews/alerts/favorites!


	9. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own rookie blue

A.N. Thank you to all of my reviewers!

I've been really depressed today since almost no one has posted so I went through all of my stories to see if I wrote anything and didn't put it up. This is kind of embarrassing to admit but this was actually written a few days after I finished but I forgot to post it. I got this idea while babysitting for my three year old cousin. This chapter takes place about three years after the last chapter.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Sam Swarek pulled into the parking lot. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and groaned. It was the second day in a row that he was late.

As he locked the minivan, he glanced around and noticed a few other parents picking up their children. In the past three years, the daycare had grown tremendously. It had moved from the original building to this new location and Rachel had hired three more staff members.

When the daycare had moved, Andy and Sam debated about what to do. Some of Rachel's policies were changing. She solved their dilemma by saying that their arrangement was the same. When pressured, she admitted that Ellie was a social butterfly and had always gone to play with the visiting children. She was pretty sure that that was one of the reasons why business boomed.

Sam snapped out of his reverie as he hurried up the walk. He was halfway to the building when the door opened and a whirlwind shot out. He had enough time to bend down before it hit him.

He scooped his three year old daughter into his arms. "How's my princess?" he asked, hugging her.

She buried her face in his shirt. "Daddy, you are late. All of the other children already left."

Sam smiled. "Sorry Ellie-Belly." He glanced up and saw Rachel standing by the door, a baby seat at her feet. "Sorry I'm late."

Rachel smiled. "Andy called and said you would be late. Don't worry about it. There are still two children here."

Sam came closer, still holding Ellie. "How were they today?"

"Good. He just woke up a few minutes ago." She pointed to the baby carrier as she spoke. "I strapped him in when I saw you pull up."

Sam bent down. "Thank you." He looked at his son and ran a finger over his son's cheek. "Hey buddy" he said softly.

Jason responded by laughing and then Sam stood up. "You said he just woke up?"

"Yeah. I told Andy I think his sleep patterns have gotten a little mixed up. He might be teething."

Sam groaned. _Maybe that was why his son had been up all night last night crying._ "Good to know." He grabbed the handle of the baby seat. "Thank you. Ellie, what do you say?"

"Bye Miss Rachel, see you tomorrow."

"Bye Ellie, bye Jason, I'll see you tomorrow."

Sam headed to the car with his children.

When they were a few feet away, Ellie began wriggling. "Magic?" she asked Sam.

"Let's see" he replied, smiling.

"Doors, open please."

As if by magic, the rear doors began to open. Sam placed Ellie in the car and then set Jason's car seat in the car seat holder. He looked at Ellie and smiled. His independent little girl had buckled herself into her car seat.

Sam got into the driver's seat and looked at Ellie. She giggled and said "doors, close please" and the doors magically closed.

Sam pulled out of the parking lot and turned on music for Ellie.

Ellie sat silently for a few minutes, listening to the music. Finally she spoke. "Daddy, you were late again."

"I know Princess. How about, as a special treat, we go get Mommy from work?" Andy's car was in the shop and today she was taking off part of the day. He was going to pick her up anyway, but this would satisfy his daughter.

"Mommy" she clapped her hands.

Grinning, Sam pulled into the parking lot for the 15th division. As he pulled in, he saw Andy exiting the building. As he put the van into "park" Ellie spotted her mother. "Mommy" she cried, bouncing in her seat. "Doors, open please."

Grinning, Sam pushed the button to open the door on Ellie's side. When the door was opened, Ellie again called out "Mommy!"

Andy spotted them and broke into a trot. When she reached the van, she kissed her daughter's forehead as Ellie's hands went around her neck in a hug. "How's my princess?" She placed her bag in between the seats.

"Daddy was late today."

Andy glanced at Sam and grinned. "I know. But it is okay because Miss Rachel knew about it." She detangled herself from her daughter and reached over to stroke her son's cheek. "And how is my big boy?"

"Possibly teething according to Rachel" Sam answered as Jason let out a giggle.

Andy smiled and got into the passenger seat. She leaned over and kissed Sam gently. "How was work today?"

"Good, you?"

Before Andy could answer, a voice behind them said "Doors close please!"

Grinning, Sam closed the door as Andy said "quiet, thankfully."

Sam began driving as Andy placed a hand on his arm. "I got a babysitter for tonight."

Sam glanced at her. It was their anniversary and that was the one time they indulged in a little alone time. "Where to this year?" Each year Andy chose a different place for them to go to. One year it had been the movies, one year dinner, he couldn't even remember everything because they had gone out a lot before Ellie was born.

"You'll find out."

They stopped by a red light. "C'mon Andy, that's not fair." He glanced at his daughter who was eyeing him warily. "Ellie, tell Mommy that it is not nice to keep secrets."

Ellie giggled and watched her mother. "I thought secrets don't come out nice and easy. I think I should make it difficult."

Sam sighed as the light turned green. "I was waiting for you to throw that line back in my face."

Andy smiled. "A hockey game."

Sam stole a quick glance at her and then turned his eyes back to the road. "Seriously?"

Andy was about to answer when a wail sounded from the backseat. She took her hand off of Sam's arm as she shifted. She reached over and stroked her son's cheek. "Sh, sh, sh, Jason, Mommy's right here" she crooned.

The crying subsided for a minute and then started again. "I kind of feel bad leaving him with a babysitter."

Sam smiled. "Don't. Hopefully he will fall asleep before she comes. If not, she has dealt with crying babies before and we pay her enough." He pulled into the driveway.

Before he even had a chance to turn the car off, Andy was unbuckled. She shifted and reached over to her son's car-seat. Although upside down, she quickly unbuckled the seat and gently lifted her son out and pulled him close to her. Once secure in her arms, the cries stopped.

Sam grinned. Watching Andy with the children made him love her even more. Andy got out of the car and opened Ellie's door. She grabbed her bag as Sam opened the door to the other side and lifted to car seat out of the car. "Princess, Mommy's holding Jason, come here."

Ellie had been trying to get Andy's attention. At Sam's words, she turned to Sam. "Hold me" she demanded.

Sam laughed and picked up his daughter. He would come back for the car seat later.

Sam met Andy at the front of the car. Wrapping his free arm around her, they made their way up the stairs to their home, each thinking about how lucky they were that they had each other and two beautiful children, how lucky they were that nothing had gone wrong during those long months that Sam was away undercover.

* * *

A.N. #1: All of the interactions with Ellie are based on my three year old cousin getting in and out of the car (quite an adventure - let me tell you!)

A.N. #2: I actually finished the two alternate endings when I discovered that I had not posted this chapter…now I'm just trying to come up with a name for them…


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